Note: This article is part of Morningstar's 2018 Portfolio Tuneup week. A version of this article previously appeared on March 31, 2017.

Even if you're an extremely engaged investor--and that's true of many Morningstar.com readers--it's important to have a backup plan in case something should happen to you. Will your spouse know where to go for cash to pay the bills? Have you tried to skinny down your portfolio to as few moving parts as possible, especially if you're in your later retirement years?

Christine Benz does not own shares in any of the securities mentioned above. Find out about Morningstar's editorial policies.